


tell me of something beautiful

by writingkilledreality



Series: the bird and the gemstone [6]
Category: RWBY
Genre: 5 Things, 5 Times, 5+1 Things, Age Difference, Angst, Beautiful, Comfort, Cute, Declarations Of Love, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm proud of this work, I've worked on this for a long time, Kissing in the Rain, Love, Love Confessions, Observant Qrow, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-05 18:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11019084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingkilledreality/pseuds/writingkilledreality
Summary: "You, Qrow Branwen, always have something on the edge of your lips," Ruby spoke teasingly, fingers still trailing along his skin, "You always seem like you want to tell me something." Qrow smiled slightly as Ruby dragged her hand from his face, down his arm, to his hand. Qrow intertwined their fingers, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her palm. "Do you want to tell me something?"***OR: Eight times Qrow realized just how beautiful Ruby Rose is and one time he told her about it.





	tell me of something beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> okay, first of all, i've been writing this since the beginning of march and just finished today after putting in work for a week. secondly, i was determined to finish it because it's my birthday today ^.^ (May 27th) and i like posting on my birthday, especially a monster one shot like this. i love this one shot. it's my baby.  
> okay so, i.it's very sweet and cute and i love it. ii. i wrote a long time ago, but its sweet. iii. i love it, it's so sweet and one of my favorites. iv. i wrote this a long time ago and it was hard as hell to write. v. this was so hard to write, but i had to include it as everyone makes mistakes and Ruby loves her man no matter what. vi. my absolute favorite, the best one to write, i was such a perfectionist with it but its cute and i love it. vii. i finished this one yesterday, it made me emotional, but i love it. viii. i don't even remember writing it, but it's everything Ruby Rose should yell at him. +i. i have never finished a scene so fast, i finished this today in half an hour, nonstop flow of words.  
> i hope you enjoy. p.s. i made a lot of references in this, i don't know why and i lost count of all of them. p.p.s. if you can think of any more tags tell me.

_i._

Qrow let out a heavy sigh, leaning back in his chair as students flowed out of his classroom. Once the last student was gone, he got up and closed the door, relieved to finally be on his lunch break, one of his few peaceful moments in the day. Some days, even Qrow himself wasn't sure how he of all people was a teacher, especially with some of these kids; man, he wanted to punch a few of them. He collapsed back in his chair, eyes scanning over the papers scattered across his desk that he had yet to grade. Deciding against doing any grading, Qrow leaned back in his chair, clasped hands pressed to the top of his head. He closed his eyes and breathed out a quiet sigh, trying to fight off the persistent headache he felt behind his eyes. Seriously, why was he a teacher? The only kids he liked continuously every hour of every day, all year round was Ruby and Yang.   

Just as his headache began to fade, a quiet knock came at his locked door, the handle jingling a few times.   

Qrow's eyes opened as he let out a quiet groan. "Can't I just get a break for once?" he mumbled as he got up and began a slow tread to the door. Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose before halting his steps.   

"Why am I even answering the door?" he questioned himself, "Why am I even answering the door?" His voice rose as he addressed—well yelled—at the person knocking. "You're supposed to be at lunch! I'm trying to have a moment of peace!" He let out an irritated groan as he continued to the door, opening it just as the knocking resumed.   

"Is someone having a bad day?"   

"Ruby," Qrow sighed as the red hooded girl lifted her arms to shoulder height and gave a straight-faced jazz hands, "What are you doing? You're supposed to be at lunch."   

"I thought I'd come and have lunch with you," Ruby said, shrugging her shoulders happily as she moved passed him into the classroom. Qrow rolled his eyes as he closed the door, a smile trying to make its way on his face. Qrow watched as Ruby sat on his desk, her legs dangling off the edge. She always had a way of overtaking any place, making it her own, like she belonged right there. He made his way over to her, rounding the desk so that he was right in front of her.   

"You could've given me a heads-up," Qrow commented as he placed his hands on the edge of the desk on either side of her legs.   

"You love it when I caught you off guard," Ruby teased as she leaned forward slightly. She was close enough for Qrow to kiss, all he had to do was lean forward a bit more and their lips would meet perfectly. It took all of his self control not to reach out and kiss her. He watched as Ruby glanced down at his lips, obviously having the same thoughts as him. With every ounce of self control he had in him, he pushed off the table and sat in his chair, arms crossed across his chest as he watched her. Ruby scrunched up her nose in annoyance as Qrow sent her a smirk.   

"So, why are you really here?" Qrow asked, ignoring the issue and events at hand like a proper adult.   

"I told you," Ruby said, moving to sit cross-legged, "I wanted to spend my lunch with you."   

"And I believe that, trust me I do, but most girls your age want to spend time with their friends, not their uncle," Qrow spoke softly.   

"I don't really have that many friends, you know that," Ruby mumbled as she picked the lent off of her tights, "People just don't get me the way you do. You're the only person I've ever really related completely with."   

"Well, that explains why you'd rather hang out with me than your father. It's not a I'd-rather-hang-out-with-adults thing, it's a me thing." Ruby chuckled lightly, not even bothering to look up from her legs. The sad look she had was too much for Qrow; he suddenly felt the need to comfort her somehow. Qrow reached out, squeezing the toe of one of her boot. Ruby glanced up, startled, as Qrow gave her a gentle smile. "You're perfect. Social awkwardness and all." He tapped her on the nose once as Ruby sent him a playful glare. "But seriously," Qrow continued, ruining the moment, "You should probably be at lunch. The students aren't really supposed to stay with the teachers for lunch."   

"I'm your niece," Ruby said defensively as she pointed to herself.   

"Bullshit," Qrow laughed, "That's not all you are and you know it." A wide smile made its way across Ruby's face, and Qrow could have sworn he fell even more in love with her. Her smile lit up the entire room, the way it always did, radiating nothing but happiness and...light. With a smile like that, Qrow wondered how he ever had darkness in his life. Ruby Rose brought light into his life more times than she could ever know. She was the light, the good, in his life and he was forever grateful for her and that smile.   

She looked beautiful. Her eyes were crinkled slightly at the edges, proving that her smile could turn into a laugh at any minute. Her eyes were so filled with love—love directed fully and only for him. He watched as Ruby noticed his staring and glanced down in embarrassment. Qrow felt the need to tell her that she didn't have to hide from him or be embarrassed, but as he watched a blush crawl across her cheek, all the words in his mouth had disappeared for an awed silence. Gods, she was more beautiful than she could ever know.   

"What?" Ruby laughed out when she looked up again to still see Qrow staring at her like an idiot. She tucked her hair behind her ear and Qrow felt his breath taken away once again. Seriously, how was this girl so beautiful? Ruby raised an eyebrow at him as Qrow snapped out of his thoughts.   

"Nothing, you just—" He couldn't do it. He couldn't find the words to tell her how beautiful she truly was. "I find it funny that when it's convenient for you, you're always pulling the niece card, but if it's any other time you _love_ pointing out that you're not technically my niece."   

"Well, it's just like you said, it's convenient for me," Ruby said jokingly. Qrow barked out a laugh as he leaned forward in his seat to be closer to her.   

"Ruby Rose, you are a laugh riot," Qrow chuckled as he patted her on the knee. Ruby hummed in agreement, dangling her legs off the side of the desk once again, also leaning forward.   

"Besides, not everyone knows what we are," Ruby spoke softly as Qrow raised an eyebrow.   

"We don't even know what we are." His voice was low and gravelly. And Ruby wanted to drown in it.   

"We're two people who love each other—"   

"Who can't be together at the moment."   

"Yeah, because _someone_ keeps making a big deal about the age difference thing and cares more about the other growing up than being together with the love of their life right this second."   

"I see we're still fighting about this." 

 

* * *

 

_ii._

The front door shut in an almost silent whisper behind him as he entered the house. It was dark out, well past midnight. Qrow rubbed at his shoulder as he placed his weapon beside the front door. He had been called in for a stray Beowolf, one that had evolved into something stronger than others, that had been getting too close for comfort. Ozpin had told him it would be an easy, quick mission, it was just one Grimm after all. Qrow should've known better than to believe that, he was bad luck after all, even to himself sometimes. After being out in the field for so many years, even the most skilled Huntsman forgets their basic fundamentals, forgets the knowledge they learned outside of just fighting. He should've remembered that Beowolves are rarely ever alone, rarely ever stray from the pack. One bothersome Beowolf turned out to be a pack of twenty pissed off Grimm. Qrow handled himself well, he always did, twenty Beowolves was a piece of cake, usually. It wasn't the amount of Grimm that made him stumble through battle, but the surprise attack of a pack of Beowolves. He wasn't expecting a pack, just one or maybe three. He fought them off and won just fine, obviously, but he had gotten thrown around a bit in the process.   

He began his trudge upstairs, wincing slightly at the pain in his shoulder. A Beowolf had bitten him square in the shoulder; his aura had healed him, but he was still a bit sore from where teeth had sunken into his flesh. He was more than ready to collapse into bed and sleep until noon, or later than that knowing him. However, he felt more than grimy, he felt dirty to the soul. Qrow knew he definitely needed a shower before being able to sleep a full day away. He let out a sigh as he entered his dark room, searching for a fresh change of clothes. He flipped on a light before quickly turning it back off. Curled up in his bed, blankets pulled to her chin, was a sleeping Ruby. Qrow had no idea why she was in there, but he didn't question it. It was always better to have a partner to cuddle and sleep beside in bed than to be alone to his dark thoughts and nightmares. Besides, it wasn't the first time she had shown up randomly in his room. Instead of waking her up and questioned her, he grabbed a change of clothes, heading off to the bathroom.   

Qrow reentered his room quietly after taking a shower, exhaustion weighting on his sore shoulder. His eyes, adjusting much better to the dark, scanned over Ruby's sleeping form. She was curled into a ball, much like a sleeping cat. Her eyelashes rested on her cheeks, everything about her seemed gentle and peaceful. Just what he needed after today. How did he get so lucky? Him, lucky, who would have thought? After all the negativity and darkness made their way into his bones, he needed some beauty and light. And Ruby Rose was all of that and more. Even asleep, Ruby Rose was the most beautiful thing Qrow had ever seen. Even with her hair sticking out at all angles, and the blankets twisted and knitted around her curled up legs. Qrow sat on the edge of his bed, fingers trailing gently from her temple down her cheekbone. Ruby groaned slightly in annoyance, twisting her body away from him, blankets becoming more intertwined with her legs. Qrow smiled to himself as he trailed his fingers along the side of the girl's neck, creating a series of goosebumps. Ruby breathed out a soft laugh as she twisted back around to face him, eyes squinted at him.   

"What are you doing in here?" Qrow questioned quietly, running a hand along her arm.   

"Sleeping," Ruby mumbled, rubbing at her eye.   

"I can see that," Qrow chuckled. Ruby continued to rub at her eye as Qrow fought the urge to tell her how much she meant to him and how beautiful she truly is. He swallowed down his thoughts, not wanting to frighten the girl away with how strong his feelings were. Those feelings would be overwhelming on a good day, not to mention when the girl had just woken up and was still half asleep.  

"I was waiting for you to get home," Ruby told him as she scooted over for him to have room, "You look exhausted."   

"I am," he commented, moving to rest beside her.   

"Can I stay?" Ruby questioned as she looked up at him with hope in her eyes, ready to get up and leave if he said to.   

"Always," Qrow whispered as Ruby smiled brightly. She shifted to rest her head on his shoulder, Qrow's arm wrapping firmly around her waist. Qrow winced slightly as Ruby glanced up at him, concern etched across her features.   

"You okay?"  

"Yeah, just a bit sore. Beowolves bite really hard," Qrow waved off.   

"Do you ever worry about your own health and safety?" Ruby asked, resting her head gently back on his shoulder.   

"Only when I think about you," Qrow answered, staring at the ceiling. Ruby snuggled closer to him, arm draped across his stomach.   

"What do you mean?" Ruby inquired, fingers playing with the fabric of his shirt. Qrow sighed, running his free hand through his still wet hair.   

"When you do this job, you have to forget about the things you love. Sometimes that's the only way you're able to leave every morning, being a Huntsman is a job for the insane after all. If I had you in my thoughts, I'd never have the bravery to risk my life the way I do. I would never be able to save people, protect people, the way I do if I was holding back. _But_ , on those days when I'm getting my ass kicked, and I feel stupid and willing enough to do _anything_ to achieve my mission, I remember you. I remember that I have to come back for you. I can't do stupid heroics, because I never want to think about what would happen to you if I died," Qrow explained softly. Ruby smiled, snuggling closer to him, though Qrow didn't know how that was possible. Her eyes closed as she let out a sigh, her body relaxing next to his. Qrow smiled at the girl, noting how cute she looked when she was tired.   

"Save the stupid heroics for when I'm a Huntress and there to save you," Ruby mumbled sleepily. Qrow smiled, gentle and sincere, as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.   

"Anything for you, pretty rose," he whispered, voice hushed and unheard.  

 

* * *

 

_iii._

The room was silent as the credits rolled up on the screen. Qrow and Ruby had decided to have a night in, picking to watch a sad movie that Ruby had been wanting to see. Tonight had seemed like the perfect night to watch it since Yang was out with friends and Taiyang was out doing work stuff. Qrow let out a yawn as he stretched, his mind cloudy with boredom. Qrow wasn't much of a touchy-feely, cry-your-eyes-out kind of person. He wasn't a fan of heart-felt, sad dramas, he just got bored with it; not to mention he laughed at most people crying, he had issues with people. The problems the characters faced were laughable to Qrow. He had faced far worse trauma, far worse pain. The problems faced in movies would be a luxury to Qrow. But when it's Ruby asking to watch a boring, tissue fest of a movie, he was willing to suffer.   

"Well that was something," Qrow mumbled flatly, knowing Ruby realized how much he hated the genre. "Ruby?" The red-hooded girl seated beside him didn't respond, causing Qrow to glance over at her. He had been expecting the girl to be asleep, a bad habit she had when it came to movies, but he was surprised to find her awake, tears streaming down her face. "You okay?" His voice was cautious, careful not to make her break down any further, something that happened a lot when she was over come with emotion.   

"The dog died," Ruby cried as Zwei trotted his way into the room, as if he had just been called.   

"I know, I was watching the movie with you," Qrow said gently, "It was just a movie, nothing actually happened. The dog is alive in real life."   

"But it was so sad," Ruby cried as Zwei jumped on the couch with her, "How are you not crying?"   

"I'm emotionally damaged, you know this," Qrow spoke with shrug as Ruby smiled slightly through her tears.   

"You're not emotionally damaged, you're just a bit messed up," Ruby pouted as Zwei licked at her face. Ruby focused her attention on Zwei, muttering about how she wasn't going to ever let anything happen to him. Zwei sat on her lap, head tilted to the side as he listened to her talk, tongue dangling out of his mouth. Qrow smiled to himself, watching the girl murmur to her dog, Zwei licking at her stray tears every now and then. Qrow turned his head to the side, gaining a better look at the red hooded girl. Around her eyes was red and puffy, streaks of tears still littering her face. Her eyes were tinted red, along with the tip of her nose. Her normally dark colored silver eyes were shining a brilliant light, almost-crystal, silver against the red. Even crying, Ruby Rose could look like the most beautiful thing Qrow had ever seen. Qrow reached out and brushed an eyelash off her cheek, regaining her attention. A smile graced itself on her lips as she turned back to look at him.   

"You, Ruby Rose, have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met," Qrow whispered as Ruby wiped at her eyes. Zwei let out a yawn, hopping off the couch and trotting off to some other part of the house.   

"You're doing that thing again," Ruby commented as she turned to face him fully. Her arm rested against the back of the couch, her head propped up by her hand.   

"What thing?" Qrow eyebrows knitted together as he squinted at her slightly.   

"I'm not sure, you just keep staring at me," Ruby said, quirking her head to the side, "You've been doing it for awhile now."   

"I don’t know what you're talking about. I'm just looking at you normally. I can't look at you?" Qrow spoke as he gave a shrug, his eyes roaming across the room. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He _had_ been staring at her a lot lately. If it wasn't for noticing how beautiful she was, then it was trying to figure out a way to tell her. Qrow had yet to find the words or the courage to tell her how beautiful she truly was. And in that silence of trying to find the right words, he would end up staring at her, intensely. It would be weird if it was anyone else. However, it was Qrow and Ruby; they knew each other as well as they knew themselves, nothing was ever completely odd when it came to them.   

Qrow watched Ruby's lips twist into an even bigger smile, his heart almost bursting at the sight. His eyes trailed up to her's, relieved to see her eyes turning to their normal color. Her eyes were filling back with the light that Qrow treasured like a precious flower, happiness reflecting once again in his favorite silver eyes. Ruby crawled closer to him, sitting on her feet, her knees digging into the side of his leg. Qrow raised an eyebrow at her, smile tugging at his lips.   

"What are you doing, little red?" Qrow questioned as Ruby silenced him with a pointed look. Ruby stared at him once again, going from a gentle admiration to narrowed eyes and analytical looks. A small grin pulled at her lips as she reached out to him. Qrow didn't move as she brushed his hair from his forehead, fingers trailing across his skin in feather-like touches. Her fingers trailed down his cheekbone as he let out a sigh.   

"You, Qrow Branwen, always have something on the edge of your lips," Ruby spoke teasingly, fingers still trailing along his skin, "You always seem like you want to tell me something." Qrow smiled slightly as Ruby dragged her hand from his face, down his arm, to his hand. Qrow intertwined their fingers, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her palm. "Do you want to tell me something?"   

"No," Qrow said almost immediately, distracted by the circles he was massaging into her hand.   

"It's not bad or anything, right?" Ruby asked, tipping her head to the side. Qrow shook his head, reaching out for both of her hands.  

"Could anything about you be bad?" Qrow questioned, smirk hanging on his lips. He brought one of her hands to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles. Ruby chewed at her bottom lip in thought as Qrow tried to ignore the gesture, it was too distracting.   

"You know, I'm pretty sure this could be considered a date," Ruby spoke up as Qrow dropped her hand with a laugh. Qrow reached out, his hand cupping her neck, thumb brushing across her cheek.   

"Ruby, I—" Laughing from outside broke through their bubble as Ruby shot back about twenty feet away from him. Qrow raised an amused eyebrow as the front door opened, Yang and some of her friends bustling through, loud and laughing. Yang went on talking about what her friends and her were out doing, asking what they had been up to. Ruby blushed as Yang went on talking, Qrow's eyes focused on Ruby the entire time. Her cheeks were lit a bright red and Qrow was glad to see the redness in her cheeks from a blush rather than tears. _Beautiful_ , he thought to himself as Ruby's cheeks glowed even brighter. 

 

* * *

 

_iv._

"Rematch," Yang hissed as Qrow glanced over to her. The blonde looked like she was about to throw a temper tantrum at any second, a quite amusing one at that.  

"I think I'm done playing games for the night. I wouldn't want to embarrass you any further, firecracker," Qrow teased, reaching out and ruffling her hair. Yang leaned away, swatting at his hand as she gave him a glare.   

"Scared of getting beat?" Yang challenged as Qrow rolled his eyes.   

"I've won five rounds so far. That's every game we've played," Qrow said, a smug look making its way across his face.   

"So far? Does that mean there's going to be more rounds?" Yang questioned.   

"I'm tired, kid," Qrow groaned, "Why don't you play with Ruby?" He gestured without looking to Ruby, who had rested her head on his shoulder well over an hour ago.   

"Is your age catching up with you, old man?"   

"Hey, I'm not old," Qrow said defensively, pointing a finger at her. Yang grinned slyly, glad she was getting on his nerves like he had been doing to her for over an hour now.   

"Yeah, sure. That's not why every single one of your friends have referred to you as a dusty, old crow at one point or another," Yang spoke sarcastically, "Besides, I can't play against Ruby. She fell asleep like twenty minutes ago." Sure enough, Ruby was fast asleep with her head on Qrow's shoulder, not even bothered by the talking or any of Qrow's movements.   

"I didn't even notice." His voice sounded dazed and Yang could tell he was distracted.   

"So, how about that rematch?" Yang said, trying to regain his attention, "You can carry Ruby to bed if you're worried about waking her up." Qrow snapped his attention back to the blonde, blinking multiple times at her.   

"No, no, it's fine," he rushed out, grabbing his scroll and aiming it towards the screen, "Come on, let's play." Yang narrowed her eyes competitively, grabbing her scroll, before starting the game. Their players on the screen punched and kicked at each other, both virtual players demonstrating the personal fighting styles of their controllers. Though Qrow was holding his own in their fight, she could tell that he was distracted. Every now and then, his frenzy of attacks would slow, leaving himself open to a punch of her own. If he kept that up, Yang would beat him in no time. _If I win, I'll have to remember to thank Ruby_ , Yang laughed to herself.   

Qrow found himself watching Ruby out of the corner of his eye. He found himself making sure that he wasn't jostling her around, that he wasn't going to wake her. He found himself being distracted. Qrow refocused on the screen in front of him, eyes soon trailing over to the sleeping girl. _Pull yourself together_ , he growled, mentally slapping himself. Who was he kidding? He was never able to keep his eyes off of Ruby. He loved her after all. Normally his eyes trailed after her to make sure she was safe, that she wasn't going to run off and get in trouble. But lately, he had found himself being distracted by her beauty. And her being sleeping against his shoulder was no different. Everything about Ruby Rose was beautiful in that moment. The peaceful look she wore, the gentle smile tugging at her lips as she dreamed of something happy, the way she dug her face into his shoulder as if it were home, the soft exhale of breath that passed her lips, everything about her was beautiful. How could he not be distracted?  

"Total inhalation." The voice caught his attention as he turned back to the TV to see Yang's character celebrating the victory.   

"I win." Yang smiled, bright and full, as Qrow rolled his eyes.   

"You got lucky, firecracker," Qrow said, setting down his scroll.   

"No, you got distracted," Yang spoke as she got up from her spot on the floor, disappearing off into the kitchen, "If I had known Ruby would be such a distraction, I would have told you she was asleep three rounds ago."   

"I was not distr—" He trailed off as Yang peaked her head around the door frame, "I was very distracted." Yang smiled, disappearing again into the kitchen. She reappeared holding a grape soda and a glass of what Qrow assumed to be alcohol. Yang handed the glass to Qrow as he gave an appreciative nod.   

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yang questioned, full blown smile spread across her face. Qrow rolled his eyes as Yang sat on the floor beside him, leaning on the couch.   

"She's just so..." Qrow trailed off, glancing over to Ruby, "I love her. More than anything, more than anyone. She doesn't even realize how amazing she is, how much of an effect she has over me. And I just can't gather the words enough to tell her."   

"What do you want to tell her?" Yang questioned, smile hidden behind her soda can.   

"How beautiful she is. How much of a light she is in not only my life, but everyone else's."  

"Why don't you tell her?"   

"I don't want to scare her off," Qrow sighed as Yang reached out and pulled on his sleeve harshly, like a wake up call.   

"Trust me when I say, she's not going anywhere. Not without you." Ruby let out a yawn as her eyes began to flutter open.   

"What's going on?" Ruby mumbled, lifting her head from Qrow's shoulder as she rubbed her eye. Qrow felt at a loss for words as he watched her. She was just too cute.   

"Qrow was just about to play another round with me," Yang interjected, gesturing to the television. The older man sent the blonde a glare as she smiled.   

"That sounds like fun," Ruby smiled, letting out another yawn, "You'll probably have to count me out of the fun. I'm exhausted." The red cloaked girl went to stand up, but was quickly pulled back down into Qrow's lap.   

"You can stay," Qrow spoke softly, face buried in her neck, quick kiss pressed to her jaw. Ruby giggled as his scruff tickled her neck. She laughed as she nodded, moving to sit next to him. She grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around her tiny frame. She leaned into Qrow as Yang handed him a controller. Yang watched with a slight smile as Ruby argued with Qrow about Yang winning. Yang was happy for her little sister. She wanted Ruby happy more than anything, and Qrow made Ruby happy. At the end of the day, it won't matter what Yang thought of their relationship. Who was she to judge or get in their way? Besides, even Yang, the protective older sister, could admit that they were meant for each other. It was also a bonus that Qrow got distracted enough for Yang to win games when Ruby was around.  

 

* * *

 

_v._

Qrow brought his flask to his lips, swallowing down the burning liquid until he needed air instead of alcohol. He tried to focus on the ground, but squeezed his eyes shut when the world spun like a top. His mind was fuzzy with the influence of alcohol, his blood swimming with the golden liquid. He felt light on his feet, a feeling he was quite used to. Qrow brought his flask to his lips once again, vaguely wondering if his flask was forever filled with alcohol, a never-ending way to numb the pain. But the pain didn't seem to be drowned out tonight. He stared down at the stone in front of him, an empty, sinking feeling making its way into the pit of his stomach like a never-ending void. Maybe whiskey could fill the emptiness. It didn't hurt to try. He felt like any large gust of wind could topple him over, could beat the infamous Huntsman, Qrow Branwen. Taiyang had always said that Qrow's worst enemy, his greatest challenge, was himself.   

"I've been looking everywhere for you." Her voice reached his ears and he felt a giddy sense of happiness. It almost filled the emptiness in his stomach. But he didn't want it to, he deserved the pain, preferred the emptiness than his false sense of glee. He didn't deserve the happiness he felt when he heard her voice. His eyes were still glued to the stone and he felt even more pain. He didn't want to destroy her and the happiness she brought the way he destroyed his team, destroyed _her_.   

"Go away," he mumbled, trying to push away every piece of happiness in his life until it was just him and the bad luck he was.   

"What's wrong with you?" Ruby questioned, taking a few steps closer to him, eyebrows knitted together, creating a crease between her brows. Qrow's back was to her, body swaying with intoxication, like a daisy during a tornado. If Ruby didn't know him so well, she'd be afraid he'd go head first off the cliff. "Qrow?"   

"What part of go away do you not understand, Ruby?" Qrow growled out, flask to his lips again.   

"The away part," Ruby answered as she made her way towards him, a soft frustration taking over her features, "Look, I get it. It's the anniversary of her death. You always go..." She considered her words carefully. "A bit off the deep end this time every year. I understand, and I have _never_ tried to stop you or tell you to get over it. I have been supportive through everything, and I still am. But this spiral you do every year, this pushing me away, the getting so drunk that you can't even function, you don't have to do it anymore, and you don't have to be alone. I know you don't want to be alone. And you don't deserve to be alone, you deserve to be happy." She reached out for him as he stepped away, out of her grasp. "Qrow." She reached out for him once again, hand gripped to his arm.   

"I said go away." She felt a sudden force to her stomach, making her fly backwards onto the ground. She struggled to breathe as she stared up at the sky, the air knocked entirely from her lungs. She let out a cough as she sat up, hand rubbing at her chest. Ruby sucked in a breath, trying to control the tears welling up in her eyes.   

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ruby shouted as she watched Qrow blink multiple times. Everything around him was blurring together, the world spinning at a rapid pace. Qrow went to lift his flask yet again, only to be thrown off balance from the effort. Qrow slowly eased himself to the ground, totally blind to the world. A heaviness tugged at his eyes as he passed out from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. Ruby watched him with an exhausting amount of frustration as she carefully got to her feet. She walked over to where he was passed out, leaning down to check if he was actually alive. Once, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, she stood back up, foot nudging him to see if he would wake. Ruby let out a sigh, nudging at his hand with her foot one again. "Why do I even like you, you idiot?"   

"What the hell?" Qrow mumbled as he opened his eyes. Blended together colors slowly became actual objects as Qrow realized that he was in his bedroom. "How the hell—" He stopped his train of thought when a pounding force came knocking on his inner skull. The room swam in a haze of color as Qrow let his head fall back gently on his pillow, scared that his brain might explode if he used too much force, or that he might puke everywhere. Neither were a pretty picture. For someone who rarely got hangovers, man did they hit hard when he did receive one. The door to his room opened as Qrow flinched at the light that flowed into his room. He buried his face into his pillow as if that could snuff out the pain in his head.   

"Are you feeling like crap? You should, you kind of deserve it." The angelic voice reached his ears, echoing in his head like a scratched record, bouncing off the walls of his brain, making his head hurt worse. Qrow reopened his eyes and, in his slightly still drunken state, was blinded by the light flooding his room. He blinked a few times to refocus on Ruby who was standing in the middle of his room, arms crossed, blinding him with the light she always created. She was the worst symptom of a hangover. She was the guilt that came with the hangover, the regret of drinking that much the night before. She was a constant ray of sunshine in his eyes on days he had a hangover, and though on any other day Qrow loved the light she brought with her, on days like this she brought forth a pounding headache that made his eyes want to squeeze shut. Her voice was a melody that made his head pound with a fury. Nights before she would be a top-shelf drink, the kind that made everything great and made the world feel giddy and free. On hangover days, she was a cheap box wine that could probably be bought at a gas station, the kind that made teeth hurt and heads pound with the effects of that perfect night before. Ruby Rose was a guilt that made him realize he wasn’t the man he wanted to be for her.   

Most of the time, Qrow could get away with just a tinge of guilt, because he let her down, and a hint of self-loathing, because he let himself down. Today was different than the others. Today was a horror show of self-loathing and guilt.   

"Ruby, I'm—" Ruby silenced him with hushed coo, moving to sit on the edge of his bed.   

"Here," she whispered, always gentle and mindful when he had a hangover. She handed him a water and some medicine, playing with the hem of his shirt as he took the medicine. Qrow looked up at her, blinded by simply her.   

"Ruby—"   

"It's okay," Ruby spoke in a hushed whisper. Qrow sat up in bed, wincing at the pounding in his head. Even with being more eye level with her, Ruby wouldn't look directly in his eyes. _Shit_ , Qrow thought, _I really hurt her_.   

"Little red—"   

"I know, trust me, I know. It's okay," Ruby interrupted again, shaking her head, looking away from him. She wasn't listening, she didn't want to listen.   

"Ruby," Qrow began as Ruby opened her mouth to interrupt him yet again, "Sweetheart." His voice was desperate and breathy, making his head explode with pain. Ruby was silenced as Qrow reached out and took her face in his hands, thumbs brushing along her cheekbones. "Baby, _please_ , just listen." He might have still been a bit drunk, he had never called her baby before, not out loud at least. Ruby's mouth twitched up slightly at the word, but nodded for him to continue. "I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you, even if I was drunk or upset, there's no excuse. I would never, _ever_ want to hurt you. Not on purpose. I am _so_ sorry. And, I know sorry isn't enough, and it never will be. But, I'm sorry if I scared you, or actually physically hurt you. Just the thought...I don't want to even think about it. If there is anything I could ever do to make it up to you, I will. I swear, I will never hurt you like that again. I want to be the man you deserve."   

"Qrow, you are every bit the man I deserve, the man I want. It's okay. I mean, what you did wasn't okay, but I'm not mad. I'm not scared of you. I was surprised, a bit hurt emotionally. But I was mostly worried," Ruby said gently as Qrow brushed her hair from her face.   

"Baby," Qrow whispered softly, a smile gracing his lips. The word rolled off his tongue in a way they both greatly enjoyed, making him smile even more. "You don't have to worry about me."  

"Yes, I do. Especially lately," Ruby sighed as Qrow ran his hands down her neck and down her arms. Ruby let out a content sigh before Qrow rested his hands on his wrists. "Look, I know why you were drinking yesterday. It was the anniversary of her death. I miss her, too. She was my mom, and she was your teammate, possibly something more, I prefer not to think about it. I get why you were upset, but it wasn't just yesterday. It's been every day. It's been every time something happens. No matter it is. Good or bad. You drink until you push everything you love, everything that matters, away. You've been drinking so much and pushing me so far away that it actually scares me." Ruby shifted on the bed, letting her hands venture to his face. Her fingers traced his cheekbones, up to his temples, before she let her hands caress either side of his face. "I care so much about you. And I love you, more than words could ever describe. Don’t shut me out, I need you."   

Qrow let out a sigh as he let Ruby brush her thumb along his cheek. He watched her as she continued to examine him, hands trailing along his skin in hypnotic ways. He wasn't sure if it was the whiskey still in his system, or just his love for her, but damn was she beautiful when she was worried about him. He was fairly certain she was one of the only people in the world that gave a damn about him. Her lips were pulled down in a pout that Qrow desperately wanted to kiss. Her eyes held a sincerity to them that Qrow had yet to find in anyone else. But most of all, she cared. When she looked at him, Qrow could tell that nothing else mattered as much to her as him. She was the most important thing in his life, and she felt the same way. Qrow wasn't sure what he ever did to deserve her. He didn't deserve her.   

"I'm sorry for shutting you out, and I'm sorry for everything I've ever put you through. I'm going to try to stop being such a drunken mess," he said softly as Ruby moved to lay beside him, silencing him with a coo.   

"It's okay, you have to stop apologizing. You made a mistake and we're not going to let it happen ever again." A smile tugged at his lips before Ruby wrapped her arms tightly around him, making him the little spoon. Qrow quirked an eyebrow up in confusion as he tried to glance back at her. He was definitely not used to being the little spoon, but he soon relaxed into her embrace, relishing in the warmth of her arms.   

"This is good," he murmured out as Ruby smiled into his shirt.   

"Good. We can sleep off the rest of the alcohol in your system, then go get food later, you'll pay obviously." Qrow smiled with a nod as his eyes drifted closed.  

 After a few minutes of silence, Qrow whispered out, "Thank you, for always being there for me, even when I don't deserve it."   

"You mean, thank you for not letting you push me away and for not letting you go spiraling down with your demons?"   

"I'm going to stop doing that."   

"Good, it'd be a waste of time anyway."  

 

* * *

 

_vi._

Qrow approached the house, body and soul completely exhausted. Ozpin had asked him to take care of an increase of Grimm in the Emerald Forest as it had been getting close to dangerous levels. Qrow had argued that an half-assed Huntsman could handle a herd of Grimm, but Ozpin had remained persistent in making Qrow investigate and hunt, so of course Qrow followed through with a sigh and an eyeroll. It took a bit longer than Qrow had expected, and getting beaten around by so many Grimm had completely depleted his aura, but he had gotten the job done well and made his way home safely.   

He wasn't sure if shorter or longer missions were worse. Longer missions were often life threatening and kept him away from Ruby, but longer missions were usually slower paced. He had time to come up with a plan and know his surroundings. Shorter missions were usually close by and took two days maximum, keeping him close to the person he cared most about, but shorter missions were often fast paced and unpredictable. He rarely ever had time to come up with a well-thought out plan, instead relying purely on his instincts that he had developed over the years. Even when he did come up with a plan, it rarely ever worked; there was always an extra level of surprise when it came to shorter missions, and that made it even more dangerous. Qrow wasn't sure which he preferred, but he knew that right that second, he was ready to crawl into bed and stay there all day.   

The midday sun was hot on his skin as he reached the front door. He stopped short when he heard muffled music coming from inside the house, a tired smile spreading across his face. He could tell that he wasn't going to get sleep anytime soon, the music was far too loud to fall asleep to. However, he didn't care that he was going to be deprived of sleep, because he knew the song being played and he knew who always blasted that song. Qrow entered the house silently, leaning his weapon on the wall, before quietly making his way to the kitchen. The music drifted out of the room, growing louder as he got closer. Qrow leaned against the doorframe as the weight of the world was lifted off his chest. He smiled happily at the sight before him, always glad to have something so happy to come home to.  

Ruby had her back to him as she mixed something in a bowl, the contents of which Qrow couldn't quite see. Ruby sung along loudly to the song, dancing around the kitchen when she had to grab another ingredient or when her favorite part of the song was on. Ruby twirled around, her skirt twisting around her like a dance partner. She must not have seen Qrow in the doorway because she continued singing and dancing around, her dancing sometimes serious and other times just jumping around. As she moved around the room, still oblivious to his arrival, Qrow was able to see the mess she was creating. Flour dusted all over the counter and floor, though, surprisingly enough, there was nothing on Ruby's clothes. She must have been taking extra care to keep herself clean. Qrow did a once over of her again, realizing that she was not wearing her signature red hood. Qrow glanced over to the kitchen table, seeing the delicate, red hood draped over the back of one of the chairs. Qrow walked into the room, careful to remain quiet, fingers instinctively reaching out for the red cloth. It felt soft under his fingertips, even after all of its years of being worn. He still remembered buying her the hood. Growing up, Ruby had a habit of stealing Qrow's cape, always wanting to play Huntress with Yang. It was often as cute as can be every time she asked to borrow it, but Ruby eventually began stealing his cape without permission. A couple of times he had to go on a mission without his cape because she had taken it without permission. When asked why she took it all of the time, the young child had told him that it made her feel safe, that she connected it with a Huntsman, and Huntsmen were always strong and brave. That's when Qrow had first started to realize that Ruby looked up to him, a scary concept to him, and when she had first started developing her hero crush. Eventually, Qrow had bought her the red hood so that she would have her own something to play Huntress with when he was gone; he also bought it so that she would feel safe, even when he was away, so that she'd always have something to remind her of him. Of course, Ruby—being Ruby—loved it so much that she made it apart of her daily outfit. She got to the point of where she is now, rarely ever taking it off and wearing it even when she started training and hunting. It soon became Ruby's idea of a Huntress and Qrow's symbol of home.   

Qrow glanced up from the cloth to see Ruby still dancing around, singing happily at the top of her lungs. Qrow smiled slightly as he continued to watch her dance around, noting how pretty her voice truly was. Seeing her happy always made him happy, no matter how he had been feeling that day. He decided in that moment that Ruby was most beautiful when she thought no one was around. When people were around Ruby was still her adorable, goofy self, but it wasn't quite the same as watching her now. When she thought she was alone, her dancing was more relaxed and laid back as if the weight of everyone's eyes on her were no longer holding her back. When there was people around, Ruby would often only sing under her breath, embarrassed to sing in front of people, but right then she was singing at the top of her lungs without a care in the world. Ruby Rose was gorgeous when she was being her pure, unfiltered self.   

"Baby, you were my picket fence! I miss missing you now and then!" Ruby sang loudly in an angelic voice as she twirled around. Ruby stopped herself mid-twirl, finally noticing Qrow. "You're home." A gentle smile of pure happiness and relief spread across her face as Qrow struggled to breathe at the sight of her smile. He wanted to come home to that smile for the rest of his life. Ruby rushed over to him, jumping into his arms with a practiced ease. Qrow, used to her trying to tackle hug him, caught her with a simple ease, not having to brace himself at all.   

"Hey, pipsqueak," he greeted with a laugh, "Yeah, I'm home." Ruby released him from her hug, but Qrow caught himself lingering a bit too long, all of the emotions that came with coming home from a mission hitting him. He held her tightly to him, nose buried into her hair, breathing in her scent, relieved to be home.   

"You're home," Ruby reminded him quietly when he didn't release her, "You're safe, I'm safe. You're home, and everything's okay. That's all that matters." She ran her hand down his back, relaxing him with her cooing and gentle touches. Ruby was used to Qrow holding her so tightly, used to him holding her as if she was a lifeline keeping his heart beating, keeping him alive. He often came home from a mission seeking comfort and stability, something he lacked out in the field, needing to be anchored back into reality, back into his home life. Ruby was his one source of stability, the one constant thing in his life that he could never push away. And Qrow had tried to push Ruby away, so many times for some many different reasons, but she never left. No matter what he did or said, she was always there with him, never running away from his problems—well, their problems as Ruby liked to call them. Qrow would hold her for hours on end, as if he was afraid that she wasn't real, like she would disappear at any moment. Like she was a ghost only around for a moment. "It's okay. You’re okay." Qrow slowly let her back down, releasing her in the process, hands still ghosting along her arms. A grateful, but pained, smile spread across his face as he stared down at her. He was forever grateful that she was there with him, always there to make him feel better. It hurt Ruby seeing him so pained, so emotionally drained. He constantly looked like he was in a death match with life, and life seemed to win most of the time, beating the shit out of him. She would give anything to be able to cure some of the pain he felt, to be able to take his pain and make it her's instead. Sometimes she just wanted to find the people who caused Qrow so much pain and darkness, and punch them in the face—or where the sun doesn't shine. But of course that was for another day.   

"Thank you," Qrow whispered before taking a step further into the room, "What have you been up to?" His fingers trailed along the counters as Ruby watched him with a silent interest, always finding every movement he made fascinating. He seem sort of distracted, as if he was still trying to process the fact that he was in his home, with her, truly safe from the dangers he faced on a regular basis. Something must have been bothering him if he was so distracted, especially with her around. Ruby strolled over to him as his back was turned to her, wrapping her arms securely around him, hoping to anchor him back to his home and cheer him up even the slightest bit.   

"I'm baking," she answered, pressing her cheek to his back. Qrow let out a sigh, greatly needing and appreciating the physical affection she was giving him.   

"What are you baking?" he asked, melting desperately into her embrace. Her touch calmed his soul and kept the memories of every horrid thing he's seen at bay.   

"A little bit of everything," she told him with a shrug, glancing around the room at the mess she had created, arms still wrapped around him, "Brownies, cupcakes, cookies." Qrow smiled slightly, remembering all of the times he tried to teach Ruby how to bake cookies. He could remember when she couldn't even see over the countertops, could remember her sitting on the counter, legs swinging wildly, often kicking him. He could remember times from her being five and ballerina dancing around the room to her being thirteen and wrapping her arms around his waist as she waited for the oven to go off, Qrow simply there as good company and a precautionary—Ruby started fires sometimes, it's okay though, she got better.   

"I see you're also making a mess of everything," he commented, moving out of the warmth of her arms to take a better look at the room.   

"I'm not making a mess of myself," Ruby countered as Qrow turned to look at her. He looked her up and down before nodding slightly in agreement. Ruby, though her shoes were dusted in a film of flour and brownie mix, was practically spotless.   

"You're making a mess of the room," Qrow chuckled out as he watched her take an in depth look at the room, her eyebrows creasing together as she examined the room. Qrow's lips tugged up slightly at the corners as he watched her. She was too cute for this world, she was slowly going to kill him with her beauty, and smile, and facial expressions.   

"It could be worse," Ruby pointed out finally, snapping Qrow out of thoughts of kissing the beautiful girl in front of him. She moved to lean against the counter where most of her supplies were. Her hands were tucked suspiciously behind her back as Qrow approached her. _What is she up to?_   

"How could it possibly be any worse?" Qrow questioned, boxing her in. Ruby smirked slightly, something that both excited and made Qrow go on edge, before moving her hand from behind her back and bringing her hand down on the top of his head. An egg cracked on his head, coating him in a slimy stickiness. Qrow's jaw dropped slightly in surprise, his eyes closed to keep yolk from getting in his eyes. He reached up and wiped at his face before opening his eyes to be met with Ruby biting back a grin. Gods, he wanted to wipe that grin off her face with a passionate kiss. He wanted to lift her on the counter and kiss every inch of her skin, wanted to only have the taste of her on his lips. But he knew he couldn't do that, not now, not yet. One day he be able to. Instead, he settled for a simpler, but still fun, version of payback. "You think this is funny, don't'cha?" he asked as she giggled and gave a nod. Qrow reached behind her at the bag of flour, grabbing a handful of the white substance and flicking it in her face. Ruby's mouth dropped open with a laugh before she grabbed the sugar and pour its contents on his head. Qrow smirked before grabbing an egg and cracking it on her head, beginning their war. Eggs, sugar, and flour were flung back and forth, neither of them even bothering to dodge the flying projectiles. The room was filled with sounds of Qrow's deep laughter and Ruby's shrill cries of joy and laughter, making both of them even happier. Qrow grabbed a measuring cup full of brownie mix, pouring it on her as Ruby let out a cry through her laughter.   

"That was perfectly measured!" she cried out with a laugh, hitting him with another egg. They resumed throwing things at each other, including the occasional brownie or cupcake mix, only stopping their war when Ruby had stepped into Qrow's space, increasing the tension between them. Qrow reached out and brushed a thumb over her forehead as she let out a sigh, looking up at him with big, doe eyes. With all of the mixes and flour dusting her face, her eyes looked even bigger and brighter than normal. Qrow took a better look at her, his already wide smile growing more as he took her in. Her hair was covered in different colors of white and brown, her hair matted down with egg. Her face was covered in uneven dustings, trails of egg creating obvious tracks down her face like a railroad. Sugar crystals clung to her eyelashes like snowflakes, suddenly making Qrow miss the winter months spent with her. Her lips were soft looking, her tongue darting out every now and then in anticipation, or maybe it was to taste the sugar on her lips. Her clothes were covered in various powders, eggs shells desperately clinging to the fabric. _Gods, could she be anymore gorgeous?_ Qrow thought to himself. Even coated in baking ingredients she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Maybe it didn’t matter to him what she looked like. Maybe all he saw was that her smile was full and bright, happy giggles hanging off her lips because of him. Maybe all he saw was that her eyes were innocent and bright, a begging layer hidden just behind the surface, desperate for more from him.   

"What?" Ruby breathed out, noticing his staring and the thoughtful look he wore. She reached out and wiped egg white from his brow, keeping it from getting in his eyes. "What could possibly be going through the infamous Qrow Branwen's mind that has left him so speechless?" Qrow smiled at that as he ran his thumb across her brow.   

"You just—you're—I'm—"   

"What?" Ruby whispered out as Qrow dropped his hand to the side of her neck. She looked up at him with completely vulnerable, wide eyes, and Qrow felt himself being stripped of the walls he always kept up. He felt completely unguarded under her gaze like being naked in the rain, in the snow, with everyone staring at him. Qrow could feel himself chickening out, always too afraid to tell her everything he was truly feeling, everything he truly thought. Always a step away from her, terrified of the bad luck he possessed, of hurting her.   

"I'm just happy," he spoke softly, lifting her head slightly to fully meet her gaze. Pure bliss made its way into her eyes as she smiled up at him.   

"You deserve to be happy," Ruby mumbled as she took a step closer to him. Her gaze moved down from his eyes to his shirt as she reached out, hand trailing along his chest. She played with one of the buttons of his shirt, rubbing flour off the circular disk. Qrow bit his lip as he watched her before giving in to his previous thoughts and lifting her onto the counter with one swift movement. He stopped himself from kissing her, instead pressing his forehead against her's, letting out a content sigh as she draped her arms around his neck.   

"I love you so much," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her nose. Ruby giggled at the feeling as her fingers brushed against the back of his neck.   

"I love you," she replied with a small smile, pulling him closer. His hands instinctively rested on her waist and Qrow had to resist the urge to pull her closer and wrap her legs around him. Seriously, he wasn't sure how but Ruby was definitely a vixen without knowing it. How does she always look so damn kissable? Qrow pulled his head away from her's, sucking in a breath when he caught a glimpse of her tongue darting across her lips.   

"Remind me that we'll have to do this again when you're older," Qrow mumbled under his breath as he moved a strand of flour covered hair from her face.   

"Is it the sexual tension? Is it too much for you to handle?" Ruby questioned teasingly.   

"Of course, little red, there is always a sea of sexual tension between us. It's all of the waiting we have to do, it makes everything more...tense," Qrow said jokingly, pausing to look at her lips at the word tense, "What is a bigger turn on than a messy kitchen and us both covered in baking goods?" Ruby let out a laugh, causing Qrow to smile. He removed his hands from her waist and took her face in his hands, squishing her cheeks together as Ruby giggled. "That giggle, that laugh, is my favorite sound in the world."   

"Yeah?" Ruby tried to smile, but her squished cheeks were making it hard. Qrow nodded, smile on his face as he watched Ruby struggle to give her usual smile. Every time Ruby would get close to being able to fully smile, Qrow would add the smallest amount of pressure to her cheeks, adding more of a challenge. Ruby, always determined, continued to try to smile as Qrow watched her with amusement. Ruby crossed her eyes in frustration, pursuing her lips as Qrow barked out a laugh at her adorable expression, releasing her cheeks and planting his hands on either side of her legs. She was just too adorable and weird for words. Even when she was being strange Qrow wanted to kiss her. Boy did she have him wrapped around her finger. Ruby smiled at him, brushing his hair from his forehead. "What does it sound like to you?" Her voice was gentle and soft, like a spring rain, and it made Qrow smile before he thought about how to describe her laugh.   

"It's like bells, the good sounding ones. It's not like those great bells that clang so loudly that they can be heard for miles, and it's not like the bells in a clock that are uneven and annoying. It's like meditation bells, they make you feel calm and safe. It's like the sound of rain, the gentle, soft kind. The kind of rain that reminds me of you. It's relaxing, almost musical. Listening to your laugh is like listening to a song. It's constantly changing and evolving with you and your emotions. It's always a little bit different each time you laugh, it's like you put a little bit of yourself in everything you do, in every laugh. It's become like a game, trying to make you laugh, and my award is always your laugh or smile. I just want to make you happy. _Always_ ," Qrow spoke up as he played with the hem of her skirt. Ruby's face softened as she listened to him, gently moving to lift his face so that he was staring directly at her. Ruby stared into his eyes as she struggled to find the bravery she required. Ruby took in a breath, leaning forward to capture his lips in a kiss. Qrow thought about pulling away, about denying her, but gods, she looked so perfect. And gods, the way she looked at him, like he was actually something worth looking at, worth loving.   

Qrow quickly decided he could care less as Ruby gently pressed her lips to his. It was simple and soft and everything he's ever needed. Ruby deepened the kiss, adding more pressure to the kiss as she pulled him closer to her by the collar of his shirt. In the back of his mind, Qrow felt the urge to pull away, to be the better man and remind her of his promise. But he could care less about being the better man when her lips were pressed against his. Behind the cupcake mix, she tasted like roses and sweet like strawberries or sugar, or maybe it was just the sugar on her lips. No matter, she was beyond addictive, and she was an addiction Qrow was fine having. Though the kiss wasn't deepened any further than a gentle, but noticeable, pressure, they kept their lips melded together with a gentle movement until oxygen was necessary. Qrow was the first to pull away, holding Ruby back when she leaned forward to continue. Qrow trailed his thumb along her cheek in silence as Ruby slowly opened her eyes. The air around them was still and silent, both of them just staring at each other. Ruby's cheeks were flushed, skin red with nervousness. Her eyes were glassy and dreamlike, pupils wide and dark with arousal. Ruby swallowed hard as she struggled to find words.   

"Why'd you kiss me?" Qrow questioned lowly as Ruby swallowed once more.   

"I could help myself. The way you were looking at me, and talking, I didn’t know you could be so...poetic and romantic," Ruby whispered out as she continued to stare at him.   

"I've thought a lot about that laugh. It's one of the more innocent things I think about when I'm away," Qrow admitted. Ruby blushed furiously, knowing exactly what he was referring to. Qrow chuckled lightly before kissing her cheek.   

"So, should we clean all of this up?" Ruby asked as she glanced around the room.   

"I think we're still baking," Qrow replied, flicking some flour in her face. Ruby laughed before jumping off the counter and grabbing an egg, preparing for another war. 

 

* * *

 

_vii._

Qrow stopped in his tracks, pausing slightly when he noticed that the back porch light was on. He knew that Tai never turned the back porch light on, so he figured that someone was out there. Quickly deciding to investigate who was outside since it was two in the morning and no one should be awake, Qrow made his way to the back door, pulling the door open almost silently. The man smiled slightly, leaning on the door frame as he let himself observe the beauty before him. Ruby sat on the back steps, blanket wrapped around her to fight the chill of the night. In one hand, she held a book that she had been reading nonstop throughout the day, and in her other hand was a mug with roses painted delicately on it, the smell of coffee wafting up in the air. Qrow wasn't sure why, but something about her was overwhelmingly beautiful in that moment. Her guard was down, leaving her absolutely vulnerable in the moment, completely herself, unaware of any prying eyes. Moments like that were rare, even around Qrow. Ruby always kept some kind of barrier up, not because she wanted to keep others out, but usually for the greater good of the people she cared about, always being strong for everyone else. Her hair was up in a some form of messy ponytail, or maybe it was a bun, either way it was falling out of a hair tie and it was adorable, stray pieces of hair framing her face like that of an angel. Her nose was buried in her book, an always cute thing due to the many facial expressions she made when fully immersed in a story. Her lips curled delicately around her mug every time she took a sip, tongue darting out to capture any stray coffee. He was fairly certain that it was the moonlight adding to her irresistible beauty. Her pale skin was illuminated by the moonlight, shadows cast across her face where the light didn’t hit, adding to the delicacy of her features. Qrow felt himself cursing the moon for making her look like something out of a fairytale. The broken moon might have been a beautiful spectacle, but it was nothing compared to Ruby Rose. Qrow watched her in silence, breath completely taken away by the fairytale creature in front of him, the fairytale silver-eyed warrior. Qrow must have made some kind of sound, or maybe Ruby just knew him well enough to sense his presence, because she turned around with a small jump of surprise.   

"Hey," Ruby greeted softly as she shifted on the stairs, making room for him to sit beside her. She stomped the spot next to her with her foot since she was sitting sideways on the steps, gesturing for him to sit. Qrow rolled his eyes at her antics before moving from the doorway and lowering himself to the stairs. He lifted her legs up to sit on the actual step before dropping her legs across his lap, arms resting on her shins. She set her book aside before wrapping her blanket tighter around herself, giving Qrow a smile when he lightly squeezed one of her legs, a simple but sweet gesture. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, taking a sip from her mug. She stared over at him with a gentle, but happy, smile, her lips still hovering over the rim of her mug.   

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, reaching out and taking her mug. The mug was just adding to the cozy, beautiful look she had going on and it was becoming distracting to Qrow. He drew a long gulp from the mug, lips pressed where her's originally were, an indirect kiss between two future lovers. Qrow watched her over the edge of the cup, red eyes meeting silver as Ruby blushed at the sentiment.   

"It's too quiet in the house," Ruby explained with a shake of her head as she stole back her mug with a playful glare, "I can't ever focus or anything when it's that eerily quiet. It's unnerving; it probably has something to do with being at Beacon, being a Huntress, dead silence, a complete stop, it's never a good thing. Obviously we saw that before the Fall of Beacon." Her face took on a distant look as she got lost in thought, probably remembering the day that marked the beginning of the end, the end of peace, the end of her schooling, just the end. Ruby let out a sigh, taking a sip of her coffee as the thoughts of the friends she lost filled her mind. Unlike her other friends, Ruby had seen both Penny and Pyrrha die right in front of her, and though she wasn't letting it show, it had affected her greatly, both negatively and positively. Qrow watched the sad look overtake her face as he squeezed her leg in comfort, trying to regain her attention. Ruby blinked before shaking her head, realizing that she had gotten lost in the past, no matter how recent it was. _Keep moving forward_ , Ruby thought to herself as she let out a therapeutic breath, _They would want you to keep going_. "It was too quiet, so I came out here. It's never totally silent out here, there's always some kind of noise." Qrow nodded in understanding, listening to the quiet noise Ruby was referring to, the sound of chirping crickets and rustling trees filling his ears.   

"Isn't it a little too cold out here for a little rosebud like you?" Qrow spoke as Ruby grinned slightly at the nickname, something he'd been calling her since she was born.   

"I have a blanket and a cup of coffee," Ruby said as she lifted both objects to concrete her point, "Besides, now I have you to keep me warm." The two shared a look, Qrow wearing his signature smirk as he ran a hand down her shin, creating goosebumps even through her pajama pants. Ruby bit back a smile as Qrow opened his arms to her, beckoning her to him. Ruby eagerly, but carefully, got up, moving to sit in his lap, her back pressed to his chest as she stared out into the woods surrounding the house. Qrow's arms wrapped securely around her waist as she tugged at the blanket to cover them both.   

"Warm?" he questioned with a smile as he held her. Ruby nodded and hummed in response, snuggling closer to him.   

"What are you doing up?" Ruby inquired as her eyes closed, head falling back on Qrow's shoulder. In her comfort, Ruby didn’t notice the change in Qrow. His hands held on tighter to his waist, his heart raced with the thought, his posture stiffened the slightest bit. Qrow pressed a kiss to Ruby's temple, breathing in her smell of roses in an attempt to calm his racing heart and still his dark mind's thoughts. All night his dreams had been haunted with horrors of his past, haunted with all of the deaths he's seen and caused. Broken bones, dismemberments, and most of all, blood filled every corner of his mind, every scene of his dreams. Everything that he had done in his lifetime, for survival or for the protection of others, haunted his dreams, always turning them into horrific nightmares. His latest nightmare, the one that made him give up on the absurd idea of sleeping that night, wasn't of something that had ever happened; it was about one of his worst fears, one of the things he thought about constantly, trying to make sure it would never become a reality. Those were the worst kinds of nightmares. He could forcibly live through what he had done, he's already done it, there was no changing the past, but his worst fears were different. They were of things that had never happened, things that Qrow prayed would never happen, things that would completely destroy him if they did occur. Ruby, finally noticing the change in Qrow, opened her eyes and turned to face him. "Qrow? What's wrong?" Qrow didn't response to her, his mind still plagued with his latest torture. He had woke up screaming in terror from the image of holding a bloodied, crumpled heap of Ruby in his arms, a shadow figure, who he could tell was his nightmare version of Salem, hovering by. Even then, being fully awake with Ruby alive in his arms, Qrow could still hear the sound of his screams and cries of anguish as he held on to Ruby, desperate for her to come back. He could remember the way Ruby's head rolled back when he lifted her to his chest, her lifeless eyes staring blankly up at anything. Qrow shook the nightmare from his head as he refocused on Ruby, moving her so that she was straddling him, her legs wrapping around his hips, heels digging a pleasing amount of pressure into his back.   

"Just the usual," he said with a shrug, trying not to let her see how bothered he truly was. His hands rested on her thighs as he glanced around, avoiding her gaze. Ruby let out a sigh, leaning forward and wrapping him in a hug.   

"Are they getting bad again?" she questioned softly, referring to the nightmares he often got. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, her fingers trailing along the back of his neck.   

"They're just the usual nightmares of everything I've seen...everything I've done," he told her as he continued to hold on to her.   

Ruby pulled away from their embrace, eyes resting on his before she spoke softly, "You shouldn't let it haunt you. You just did what you had to do, it's in the past, you've survived it. You deserve to move on from it."   

"Ruby, it's not that simple."   

"But it is!" she cried out, resting her hands on either side of his face, "When you start forgiving yourself and let yourself heal, the rest will eventually follow. It all starts with you."   

"I've done awful things, Ruby, things that there's no forgiveness for," Qrow spoke up, his voice sounding just as broken as he felt, just as broken as he was. Poor Qrow, always a fallen bird with a broken wing.   

"Because you wanted to, or because you had to?" Ruby questioned as she ran her thumb along his cheekbone in concern, saddened by the look Qrow held in his eyes.   

"It doesn’t make a difference. I'm still the monster who's done those things. I'm still the one with blood on my hands," Qrow said defiantly before letting his voice drop low, "I'm no better than our enemies." Ruby tensed up as he spoke, on edge with the way he thought about himself. Qrow's eyes dropped away from her's in sadness, causing Ruby to recapture his eyes, sad red meeting fiery silver. Ruby hated that Qrow was always so hard on himself, hated that he had been so broken by life. All she wanted was for him to be happy and for him to realize that he deserves to be loved.   

"Qrow Branwen, you are _not_ a monster, do you hear me?" Ruby spoke fiercely, keeping their gazed locked together, hands still caressing his face, "Everything you have ever done has been to protect the innocent, to protect the people you love and care about." Qrow let out a tired sigh, years of exhaustion catching up to him.   

"That's no excuse," Qrow interrupted as Ruby dropped her hands from his face to his shoulders.   

"Do you know how I know you're not like Cinder or anyone we've ever fought?" Ruby questioned with raised eyebrows, willing him to make some form of response. He didn't. "It's the look in your eyes. The look you have right now, the look you carry with you everyday. It's the nightmares you wake up screaming from, it's all the drinking you do to numb the pain. That's how I know you're not a monster. You do those things because you feel guilty. An evil person, a monster, wouldn’t feel so awful about what they've done, they wouldn't care at all or even remember what they've done. People like Cinder don't care. They can take a life and wake up the next morning with no remorse, they don't feel guilt and pain. But you do. Qrow, you are such a good person. Not many people would feel bad about killing _awful_ people for the greater good of humanity, but you do, even if it's the evilest person alive. Because that's who you are, you're a good person at heart. You feel every ounce of pain, and sadness, and guilt? You know why you feel all of those things? Because you're human and you're alive. What you're feeling is so important, because if you didn't feel that then you _would_ be a monster, and the Qrow Branwen I know and love is no monster. In this moment, you are _so_ human and that's beautiful, even if the moment isn't." Qrow stared at Ruby with a pure sense of gratefulness, the threat of tears in his eyes. He had never before had someone care so much about him, care so much about what he thought of himself. And boy, did Ruby Rose care. Qrow was almost overwhelmed by the amount of sheer, unfiltered love Ruby constantly gave him. "You're not a monster," she repeated to reassure him, tears freely flowing down her face. Qrow brushed them away with a sad smile. If Ruby Rose, the girl who saw the good in everyone, saw something worth loving in him, then maybe he wasn't truly a monster, just a broken man.   

"No man could ever be a monster with you around to guide them. You, love, are the light. You're my guiding light in everything. You bring me back, back to myself, back home; I would follow you anywhere. My sweet rose, you are the only reason I am still me, the only reason I'm still standing on two feet," Qrow whispered as Ruby gave him a teary eyed smile.   

"I love you so much. And I'm never going to let you submit to that darkness. That darkness is never going to overtake you while I'm around," Ruby spoke through tears.   

"I love you. Always," Qrow muttered as he pulled her into a hug. Ruby smiled brightly, pressing a kiss to his neck as they held each other. The two held each other in a comforting silence as Ruby rubbed soothing circles between Qrow's shoulder blades.   

"What was your nightmare about?" Ruby questioned gently, trying not to ruin the moment. Ruby lifted her hand to pet his hair as he visibly flinched at the contact, squeezing his eyes as the nightmares terrorized his thoughts once more. Images of Ruby coughing up blood before dying filled his mind, along with the desperate picture of him trying to stop her from bleeding out, though he was never able to find the source of all the blood.   

"You dying," Qrow whispered against her neck, his voice pained, "Those are always the worst nightmares, the ones I remember and dread the most. It's always about me being unable to save you, getting there too late, watching you die right in front of me, unable to do anything." Ruby pulled away from their embrace, her fingers running along his temple as he let out a content sigh. She reached out and took his hand, placing it on her beating heart, her hand wrapped tightly around his wrist.   

"I'm here. I'm _fine_. I'm alive and breathing. Your nightmare wasn't real. I'm not going anywhere, ever," Ruby whispered evenly, keeping Qrow's hand pressed to her chest, calming him with her steady heartbeat. Qrow's eyes dropped to his hand as he tried to ignore the feeling of his palm pressed to her chest. Her skin was warm and her heartbeat was strong, quickening in pace as he stared at her. Ruby licked her lips slightly in thought, a look of realization crossing her face as she jumped off Qrow's lap and walked into the grass. "Come on," she urged as she held her hand out to Qrow and bounced in place, toes curling from the cool sensation of the dewy grass.   

"What are we doing?" Qrow questioned with confusion. Even with his confusion, he got up from the steps and took her hand, never one to question Ruby's antics.   

" _We_ are helping you forget that awful nightmare," Ruby said as a way of explanation before moving closer to Qrow. She gently rested her hand on his shoulder, her hand still in his. Ruby glared up at him until he placed his hand on her side with a sigh. She smiled, obviously pleased with herself, before taking a simple step forward, impatiently waiting for Qrow to follow her lead and take a step back. He let out another sigh and took his step back, soon following her every lead. Normally Ruby would never lead a dance between them, usual because of Qrow's sense of manliness, but in that moment Qrow was being more of a pain in the ass than a lead. Ruby stepped on Qrow's foot when he zoned his focus away from her, his movements slowing down significantly. "Focus."   

"Are we really dancing in the face of a nightmare?" Qrow questioned as Ruby nodded in response. The red eyed man gave a sigh, still confused as to what they were supposed to be accomplishing; nonetheless, he continued to follow her lead, knowing Ruby had some kind of reasoning behind dancing.   

The two continued to dance in silent, Ruby letting out an occasional giggle when Qrow finally loosened up enough to dip her and spin her around. Qrow's broken heart warmed at the sound of her giggle, especially when her hair was twisted in her face from a spin. In a single move, Qrow pulled her in close, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Ruby let out a sigh as she pressed her cheek against his chest.   

"Do you feel better?" Ruby asked with a smile.   

"A little bit, but you always have a way of making me feel better. I don't know how you manage to do it." Ruby laughed quietly as she closed her eyes, listening to the steady beating of his heart as they swayed in a circle.   

"You made me realize something," Ruby spoke up, voice low as to not disrupt the moment. Qrow let out a hum as he continued to sway them in a way that almost lulled Ruby to sleep. "You said I'm the reason you're still you, but that's not the entire truth. All those bad memories, you wouldn't have been able to fight that if there wasn't light within you. You always call me your light, but you have light too. You wouldn't have been able to survive without that light. And I know that even with that light you still struggle to survive, but...I need you to know that for every bad memory there's a good one. That's what's going to keep you going, the good memories. I just hope that I can be the one to provide _a lot_ of those good memories."   

"Trust me, sweetheart, I'm not giving you up anytime soon." 

 

* * *

 

_viii._

Qrow walked down the dirt path, muscles sore and his entire body completely tired from the fight he had won. Qrow felt a shove to his back as he fell slightly forward. His hand drifted to his weapon as he waited for another attack, never wanting to be the one to throw the first strike.   

"What is your problem?" a female shriek reached his ears as he relaxed slightly, realizing that the danger was no more than an angry girl in a red hood. Maybe he wasn't facing one of their enemies, but he still remained on edge, fearing the red hooded girl's rage more than most things. He was shoved again a series of times until he turned around to face her. He stared down at her with frustration and confusion as she glared up at him, anger obvious in her delicate features. Qrow didn't think he'd ever seen her so angry before, at least she had never been so angry with him before.   

"My problem? What's your problem?" Qrow questioned with confusion and slight outrage. He wasn't the one yelling and shoving people. Ruby's glare intensified as Qrow tried not to shrink under it. He knew she wasn't going to fall for him playing stupid, she was too smart for that, or maybe it was just because she knew him so well.   

"You took _every single_ one of my hits! Well, that is when I had someone to fight. You kept taking on every person that charged toward me, not to mention the ones fighting you. You made me useless in that fight, because you wouldn't let me do anything," Ruby sneered at him as he glanced away from her with a sigh. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He had essentially kept her from fighting, and Ruby did not like people fighting her battles for her.   

"I was trying to keep you safe," Qrow said softly to keep from angering her any further.   

"There is a difference between trying to keep me safe and being completely out of line," Ruby spoke evenly before letting out a sigh, "What about keeping yourself safe?" Her voice was dropped low into something that Qrow connected with worry.  "Your aura is completely depleted, and someone actually got a hit in on you. That's not you staying safe." She reached her hand up, fingers brushing delicately over the bruise forming on his cheek. Qrow winced slightly as Ruby automatically retracted her hand, never wanting to be the cause of his pain. The bruise and any other injuries he had received would soon heal with the help of his aura, but it didn't make it okay that he got hurt in the first place. Ruby let out a sigh before turning her back to him and taking a few steps away from him.   

"I care more about you than I do myself," Qrow whispered, watching her with his usual amount of interest.   

"Qrow, how can you protect me if you're never at your best, never at a hundred percent aura level?" Ruby questioned as she ran a hand through her hair, tugging at her ebony locks. Qrow opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Ruby. "No, don't try to come up with some half-assed excuse. You were so busy trying to keep me safe that you forgot all about your own safety in the process. You got to the point where if I _was_ in need of help, you wouldn't have been able to help me."   

"I'm sorry, I was too busy protecting you to think about my own safety," Qrow scoffed as Ruby twisted around to face him, a fire resembling Yang's burning in her eyes.   

"I am _not_ some damsel in distress. I'm not waiting around for you or anyone else to save me. I'm a Huntress now, I can take care of myself. I don't _need_ you to fight my battles for me. You are supposed to be my equal, in everything we do, in our relationship and in our jobs. So start treating me like an equal. I'm not a kid anymore, Qrow. I don't need someone to fight the monsters under my bed or kiss my scraped knees. Stop looking at me as the kid who had a hero crush on you and worshiped the ground you walked on; that's not me anymore, I'm a woman now, a Huntress. I'm not a damsel who needs protecting, I'm a Huntress who needs a partner who'll have my back," Ruby spoke fiercely as Qrow was silent in awe. She was right. He had been looking at her as a child still. He still saw her as the kid who fell out of a tree and came crying to him or the little girl who was scared of the monsters lurking in the dark. But watching her now, watching the fire she held in her eyes, watching the way she fought him on her independence, he saw nothing but a beautiful woman. Qrow never noticed it until that moment, but Ruby was stunning when she was fighting for what she believed in. Her normally delicate features where pressed in harsh lines that somehow still made her look gorgeous. Her eyes reflected a fiery passion that he had never seen in anyone else before. Ruby always believed in what she was doing, no matter what it was. She always fought intensely for what she believed in. It was one of the many things Qrow loved about her. Qrow had been treating her as some kind of princess in a tower, a soft and delicate thing that needed protecting, when in reality she was a soldier fighting along any other Huntsman. He had been treating her like a fragile, breakable marble statue when in reality she was a sword, sharp enough to take anyone down. Ruby Rose was not a person who needed protecting. She could take care of herself, Qrow knew that. She was fiercely independent, almost to an annoy fault. She fought for whatever she believed in, and she was beautiful as she did it. Ruby Rose was not a damsel. She was a beautiful, capable Huntress.   

Qrow gave a gentle smile, reaching out and cupping her face in his hands. The anger that had been dancing in Ruby's eyes vanished as his hands touched her skin, though the passion she held was still as intense. Ruby let out a content sigh as his thumb delicately ghosted against her cheek.   

"I'm sorry," he apologized, angling her face so that she was looking up at him, "You are my equal, that has always been our agreement. Age and power doesn’t determine us, and I forgot about that briefly. I'm sorry for that. I treated you like a defenseless child, and that's not who you are. You're not a little kid in a wagon that needs to be saved from Grimm." Ruby leaned into his touch, a smile playing on her lips.   

"We fight together, or not at all."   

"Together," he whispered after her, letting his hands trail down until he grasped both of her hands in his, "I'm always going to protect you, I'm always going to have your back. But from now on, I'm going to treat you like an equal and let you fight your own battles."   

"And I'm always going to argue with you about your own safety and I'm always going to have _your_ back."   

"I can live with that." 

 

* * *

 

_\+ i._

The rain poured down on Qrow, but he could care less as he handed over the latest catch to the right authorities. Since arriving in Haven, Salem had sent many of her pawns after Ruby, none of which possessed the same skills as the first threat, Tyrian. Qrow knew that Salem still wanted Ruby, more likely alive than dead, but she wasn't going to waste anymore of her right hands until it was absolutely necessary. Ruby was a threat, yes, but right now she was no more of a threat than Qrow, or Ironwood, or Glynda. Salem was of course going to try to snuff her out before she figured out how to control the powers her silver eyes granted her, but until then Salem was only going to send out foot soldiers, all of whom had been beaten and taken into custody mostly by Qrow and Ruby, occasionally with the help of the rest of team RNJR.  

Qrow watched as the authorities of Haven took the latest catch, waiting to make sure that he wasn't going to pull some kind of trick and escape. After the authorities were out of eyesight, Qrow turned and made his way back to where he knew Ruby was waiting for him. He turned a corner to find Ruby leaning against a building wall, distracted as she tried to fix her belt where Crescent Rose was collapsed and clipped.  

The air was knocked from Qrow's lungs as he caught a better look at her. Her hair was matted to her face, the rain weighting it down even though it was in knotted, wet waves. Her face was covered in dirt and grim, most of which had come from her being thrown back into mud or a tree. Tiny scrapes that were once bigger cuts, now healed with aura, covered her entire body. Her entire body, including her clothes were covered in streaks of wet blood, most of which had come from her slicing at the enemy with her scythe's blade. The sleeve of her undershirt was cut, revealing a long red line that had been made with the enemies sword. Her hood had even more tattered at the ends, adding to the look of a real Huntress that had been in many battles. Mud clung to her clothes, the rain doing nothing to wash it away, instead it just helped seep further into the fabric. Nobody said war was pretty; it wasn't what many students romanticized about. It wasn't saving people and fighting Grimm, it was bloody and messy, it was watching people die and realizing not everyone could be saved. Death was a shadow over everyone and even a Huntsman couldn't stop her from taking someone. Death didn't give a damn about who was there to save the day. Her eyes were narrowed slightly as she glanced up and out into the vacant street. She looked tired, exhausted from the battle, though her eyes reflected the dark look that many carried right after a battle. The look of death, the look that came with watching your defeated enemies crumple to the ground. Thankfully, Ruby never took that look any further; Ruby Rose was no killer, she was too good of a person to kill someone, even if they were evil. Qrow had a feeling Ruby would hesitate in killing even someone as horrific as Salem. Don't get it wrong, Ruby would beat the shit out of someone, maybe put them in a permanent coma, but she wasn't the kind to take a life. Her heart and intentions were too pure for that. It was one of the many things Qrow loved about Ruby. Even when she was immersed in darkness, shown the awful things Remnant had in its shadows, she never let it overtake her. She never let anger or hatred decide her decisions. She was a savior, a pure warrior, not a killer.  

Even bloodied and grimy, with the stench of a fight swirling around her, Qrow couldn't help but be overtaken by her beauty. She looked like a warrior—no, she looked like a goddess, one made for war, one that could lead and win any fight that came her way. She radiated power, more power than even Qrow or Ozpin radiated. She radiated strength and determination. As Qrow was watching her in that battle, as Qrow was watching her in many of the fights she got into on her way to Haven, he knew that she was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Ruby was going to be an amazing Huntress, more powerful than Ozpin, or Ironwood, or even himself. She wasn't quite there yet, but with time and practice, she would be one hell of a warrior. Qrow was convinced that with her silver eyes Ruby would grow even more powerful than Summer was, and that was exactly what Qrow needed. He needed Ruby to be stronger than Summer. He needed her to be able to fight back against everything Salem threw her way. He needed her to stay alive and never succumb to the same demise as her mother. Gods, she was more beautiful than Qrow ever had words for. He was fairly certain he had used the same metaphors many times in his observations of Ruby's beauty. In his defense, there were only so many words that were worthy of describing the beauty of Ruby Rose.  

Ruby glanced over at him, always able to sense his presence, and she gave him a bright smile, all of the darkness in her eyes fading away at the sight of him. Qrow was almost envious at the way she was able to rid herself of darkness, of the way she was able to separate her job, the fighting, the war, from her normal life. She was such a happy, positive person, even after the world exploded around them.  

"Hey," she spoke with a smile, the rain sputtering off her lips as she spoke, "Did you turn over the guy?" Qrow nodded as he made his way over to her, eyes still watching her intensely. "Qrow, you're doing that thing again. Why are you staring at me like that?" And as she let out a light laugh Qrow knew that he had to tell her, had to tell her the thoughts he had been holding in for far too long.  

"You're just beautiful, and I love you," he said as Ruby's eyes widened at him.  

"What?"  

"You're beautiful, and I'm so in love with you," he repeated with a warm smile, "I've never been able to find the words to tell you before, but you are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the privilege of meeting. You're beautiful in any situation. You're beautiful when you wake up, when you're laughing, when you're crying, when you're angry, when you're being silly, when you're fighting. You're always beautiful. And there are no words to describe _just_ how beautiful you are. It's not even just your outer beauty, it's who you are that's beautiful too. You're the light, the good, you're the most pure soul I have ever seen, and it's gorgeous. The way you handle things, the way you always encourage and believe in people, it's beautiful. You are the type of person that believes everyone has some kind of good in them, that people can change. You have single-handedly changed the way I think about the world around us. Everything has always been dark and dreary to me, but since the day you were born you've brought this light into my life and proved that the world isn't always awful, that there is still good out there. You have brought color to my otherwise grey world, and I am so thankful for the beauty you have brought into my life. I love every part of you. From your smile to your personality to everything, I love every part of you. Even the things I don't love, I love. That's the kind of her you are Ruby, you make flaws and imperfection and mistakes look beautiful. You see the beauty in everything, even someone as broken and screw up as me. You looked at me, at the mess I am, and you saw something worth loving. And I'm forever grateful for that." Ruby was silent as he tucked her face behind her ear, a smile spread across her lips and happy tears streaming down her face. No one had ever said such kind words to her before. Qrow had never shown his love for her so openly before, and it was the most beautiful thing Ruby had ever seen or felt. She let out a shaky breath through her tears as she placed her hands on either side of his face.  

"I love you so much, Qrow Branwen. With every ounce of my body and soul, I love you. I love you with my entire being. And I'm going to keep loving you until my dying breath, because there is no one I'd rather spend my entire life with than you. You're my other half, the one I belong with, my soulmate. I would follow you anywhere, through anything, no matter what. I am in this for the long game, and I belong to no one else but you. I don't want to be with anyone else but you. I am so happy that I get to love someone as amazing as you and that you love me back with just as much love and passion. I'm never going anywhere, and we are going to fight and be together for as long as we live. Because I don’t want to imagine a world in which we aren't together. I am never letting you go. The only things that will ever take me away from you is death, and that is going to be one hell of a fight. I'm always going to fight to come back to you. That's what we do. We come back for each other, we live for each other. I love you with every ounce of my being Qrow Branwen," Ruby whispered in a shaky breath before being pulled into a deep kiss. She let out a surprised mewl sound as she wrapped her arms around Qrow’s neck. Qrow pushed her gently against the wall, pressing up against her body as their kiss deepened. Qrow’s tongue edged along her lips, wanting to explore her mouth, and Ruby quickly obliged, opening her mouth to let her tongue dance with his. His hands twisted into her hair, knotting into her already tangled locks. Oxygen was soon required, making the two break apart with heavy breaths.  

“What did I ever due to deserve someone as beautiful as you?” Qrow questioned as he pressed his forehead to her’s.  

“You were you,” Ruby whispered through heavy sighs.  

“Thank you for seeing something worth loving in me,” he spoke softly as Ruby smiled slightly.  

“Always and forever,” Ruby muttered out, brushing his hair from his forehead.  

“Always and forever,” he agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> so, there was my birthday present to you fine readers, i hoped you liked it. tell me what you guys thought of reach individual scene and what you thought overall. 5+1 prompts are my favorite (though this one is 8), they just take FOREVER to write.  
> thanks for reading <3  
> comments make me a happy writer :)


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